LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Gov. Mike Beebe on Tuesday criticized Lt. Gov. Mark Darr for making secret the list of Arkansas residents allowed to carry concealed weapons, saying the Republican "embarrassed himself" by signing the legislation while the governor was out of state.

The Democratic governor told reporters he'll be more careful about leaving the state after Darr signed a bill making the concealed carry permit list secret. Beebe had opposed the measure, but announced last week that he would let it go into law Monday without his signature.

"It's totally inappropriate for him to sign it," Beebe said at the state Capitol. "I always thought we had a pretty decent relationship. Obviously, I'll be much more careful. You can't turn your back now."

Darr signed the bill into law on Friday, while Beebe was at the National Governors Association winter meeting in Washington. Darr was unapologetic about the move Tuesday and dismissed Beebe's criticism as "Washington-style politics." Darr said he believed he was exercising his constitutional right by signing the measure.

"I think people look at the lieutenant governor as the second person in charge," Darr said. "I think when history is written on this, I think people will be glad that I protected their privacy and stood up for their Second Amendment rights."

Darr said last week he believed the measure deserved a signature and should take effect immediately.

"He didn't embarrass me. He embarrassed himself," Beebe said.

Lieutenant governor is a largely ceremonial post in Arkansas, and those elected to the post have rarely signed legislation. The last time was in 2003, when then-Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller approved a special license plate honoring the Boy Scouts of America.

Beebe compared Darr's actions to those of former Senate President Jerry Jewell, who in 1993 granted executive clemency to two convicts and granted pardons to two other people, leading to major changes in how clemency requests are handled.

Darr, who was elected in 2010, has denied that his decision to sign the bill was politically motivated. Darr is considering a run for the U.S. Senate and earlier this month ruled out a run for governor next year.

Beebe also praised the sponsor of legislation he vetoed that would ban most abortions 20 weeks into a pregnancy for declining Darr's offer to also sign his bill while Beebe was out of town. Republican Rep. Andy Mayberry, who sponsored the bill, said he didn't want to sidestep the process.